Sea
OttersEnhydra lutris

Description
- Thsea otter is a weasel-like creature that has a
long, thick tail with dense, dark brown to blond fur,
the fur on the head is paler. The head and neck lighten
with age, turning almost white. Average weight is 70-100
pounds.

Distribution - Naturally occurring from the Aleutian
Islands to Alaska, the sea otter has been transplanted
to the southern part of Canada's Pacific coast.

Biology
- The sea otter feeds on clams, sea urchins, abalone,
crabs, mussels, starfish and fish. They swim belly up
with their front paws in the air, using the webbed hind
feet for propulsion. They dive for one to two minutes
but can stay down for up to five minutes. They "raft"
together in sexually segregated groups of up to several
hundred animals.

Their
dense fur of the sea otter has up to 100 000 hairs per
square centimetre which traps tiny air bubbles in it which
repels moisture and keeps them warm. The female has one
pup every 1-2 years.

The
sea otter population was nearly decimated by the fur trade
and they now are a protected and endangered species. Their
sensitivity to environmental pollution keeps them at risk.